That's When I Love You
by SimplyMione
Summary: My first fic, a songfic nonetheless. Percy/Hermione. Hermione reflects on her relationship with her husband on a sleepless night. R/R Please!


AN: I don't know what possessed me to write this. I know Percy was just a huge jerk in the fifth book, but what can I say? I still think that him and Hermione would make the cutest couple for some reason. I heard the song and wanted to write a Percy/Hermione fic so... yea...

Disclaimer: I don't own any Harry Potter characters or the song. In case you wanted to know, the song is "That's When I Love You" by Aslyn. I totally recommend this song and I heard it in the movie How To Deal starring Mandy Moore, which is also awesome.

That's When I Love You

By SimplyMione

            I lay awake and stare at the white ceiling above me. So plain... so simple... yet beautiful all the same. The eyes drifted to other parts of the room, from the oak desk in the corner to the bookshelves lined across the wall. The white cotton sheets radiate with warmth that I find to be more comforting than the chills from expensive silk. 

            Finally, my eyes settled on the man sleeping soundly beside me and a smile involuntarily spread across my face. He always seemed to have that effect on me. Granted, there really isn't anything particularly amazing about him. He's not exactly what you would call Prince Charming. But still... from his shocking red hair to the glasses resting on the side stand... he's everything I wanted. 

            I studied him carefully, trying to memorize every little detail. The soft contours of his cheekbones and the proud and slightly crooked nose... the freckled complexion and peach colored lips. Memories flood into my mind... Memories of us together... Memories that my heart treasures more than anything...

  
_When you have to look away  
When you don't have much to say  
That's when I love you   
I love you just that way_

            Our first date... My goodness, it seems as if it had been forever ago, and yet I still remember it as if it were yesterday. Molly had forced us out of the house so I took us to a muggle restaurant. I must say, the whole trip was very interesting, but the thing that I could never forget was the way he looked. 

            Me, being the immature, fresh out of school nineteen year old, kept staring at him. It must've made him incredibly uncomfortably because he appeared to study the pattern of the tablecloth intensely. He must have thought I was incredibly boring considering he didn't even attempt to start a conversation. Later, he told me it was because he was shy at the time. But let me tell you something, I still highly doubt that was the reason considering how long I've known him before that. Shy? He could have at least come up with a better excuse...

His copper wired glasses stubbornly refused to sit in place on the bridge of his nose and he kept trying to place it back to its original spot. The silence of our meal and his nervousness was a bit too much for me and I couldn't help but burst into giggles. 

            The poor guy must've thought I was laughing at him, judging from the hurt look on his face! With his eyes downcast and his lips in a slight pout, he had the puppy dog look down without even knowing it! At that time, all I wanted to do was pull him into a hug and apologize like I've never apologized before. Instead, I settled for leaning over the table and giving him a quick kiss on the forehead. Shocking, isn't it? That little miss prim and proper would kiss on the first date? Yea, I was surprised myself.

  
_To hear you stumble when you speak   
Or see you walk with two left feet  
That's when I love you  
I love you endlessly_

            Thankfully, I hadn't scared him off after that first date. We ended up getting dragged to some quidditch benefit dinner that Harry's team was holding. The entire Weasley clan was there, of course, and to my surprise, he stayed quiet during most of dinner. Usually when his family was around, he could be himself and talk as much as he wanted. I realized the source of his anxiety when the music flooded the room and the men in the room went searching for attractive dance partners.

            I sat impatiently, rejecting at least four people who asked. I tapped my foot, hoping that the person I wanted would get the clue and just ask me for a dance like I've seen in movies when I was a little girl. Good thing I did that because when I accidentally stepped on him, he seemed to have jolt out of muttering under his breath and noticed my existence. Then, sounding as if he had an elephant stuck down his throat, he managed to stutter, "M-May I... h-have this d-dance?" All right, so John Travolta was a bit smoother, but who cares? John Travolta wasn't Head Boy in Hogwarts and the most intelligent man I have the pleasure of knowing.

            I ignored the fact that he stepped on my foot a few times. However, he didn't. Everytime I would make a little wince, indicating the pain that shot up my leg, he would keep murmuring sorry in a panic. When he thought I wasn't looking, he would stare mournfully at his brothers, who would just happen to be dancing gracefully with their own partners. Finally, I followed his gaze and found the object of his attention. 

            There was Penelope Clearwater with her arms wrapped around some other guy's neck. I must admit that at the time I was ridiculously jealous, but then I got over it when I saw her send a cruel smile in his way, taunting him. I got so mad that I practically jumped on him, seeing as how close I pressed myself against him and pretended to be drooling all over him. I was satisfied with the shocked look on her face and then went a little further by pulling his head down with my arms around his neck and whispered sweet nothings into his ear. 

            That famous Weasley blush must've emerged again because I could feel his smooth face burning up. Some girls may prefer the rugged look, but I happen to favor his clean-shaven face. So in your face, Penelope, who's got the best guy now? When we sat down, I could swear that he was so scared of me that he was shaking in his seat. I began to panic, thinking I was to forward, but he shot me a shaky, yet thankful smile and held my hand under the table. To tell you the truth, I can't remember anything else from that night because my head was up in the clouds the whole time.

  
_And when you're mad cause you lost the game   
Forget I'm waiting in the rain  
Baby I love you  
I love you anyway_  
  


            I was all for it when he said he wanted to run for the position of Minister of Magic during elections. We've already been dating for a year and I definitely agreed that it was time the idiot Cornelius Fudge finally got replaced. Honestly, why would they put him in office in the first place?

            Of course, it came as a dead shock to me when he lost. I can still see him, standing on the stage and shaking Fudge's chubby hand, disheartened. With an umbrella clutched in my hand, I waited in front of the Three Broomsticks for him for two hours. If it were Ron or Harry who'd made me wait, I probably would've pummeled them. But I was only too happy when I found him safe back at the Burrow, reading from one of his old school books on while snuggling in his bed. 

            Without a word, I just wrapped my arms around his waist and settled my head on your chest, content to listening to his heartbeat. When he finally broke down and called himself a failure, I just hugged his head to my chest and tried my best to make everything all right for him again. That was the night I realized that I was head-over-heels for Percy Weasley.

  
_Cause here's my promise made tonight  
You can count on me for life  
Cause that's when I love you  
When nothing you do can change my mind  
The more I learn the more I love  
The more my heart can't get enough  
That's when I love you   
When I love you   
No matter what_  
  
_So when you turn to hide your eyes  
Cause the movie, it made you cry  
That's when I love you  
I love you_

            Our experience with a muggle movie was more than interesting. While watching Gone With The Wind, I saw many faces of him that I've never seen. At first, he complained about wasting our time watching something that will only make our brains rot. Of course, in the end, I got my way since he was always the perfect gentleman, or rather, I'm just always stubborn. 

            Once the movie started, though, he was totally engrossed in the movie. All of his emotions were put on display as his brows furrowed at the antagonist and his lips curled into a blissful smile at the more romantic scenes. I was content simply watching him. In the end, he tried to turn away when the tears began to flood in his eyes, threatening to flow over. A small smile graced my lips as I snuggled closer to him. I'm too lucky to have this guy...

_  
A little more each time  
And when you can't quite match your clothes  
Or when you laugh at your own jokes  
That's when I love you I love you   
More then you know_

            At the family reunions at the Burrow, there is always chaos and a ridiculous amount of red hair. Anyone who was remotely close to the family knew this. However, I could always pick him out from the crowd. He was definitely the worst dresser in the world, with his banana yellow Weasley sweater and emerald green slacks. I almost laughed when I saw him dressed like a traffic light, but said nothing. From that time on, at every Weasley reunion, we would match with my own banana yellow Weasley sweater (which Molly made for me because she thought it would be so cute if we matched) and emerald green slacks. Of course, I didn't go as far as dying my hair. I wasn't THAT desperate to become a Weasley just yet.

            At the dinner table, his brothers would of course, make fun of him like their lives depended on it. I would try my hardest to defend him, but a girl could only do so much against the infamous Weasley brothers. He would just laugh good-heartedly, even when they tease him about how obsessed he once was about the international standard for cauldrons. I finally gave up and just thought, what would I do with (or without) this guy?

_  
And when you forget that we had a date  
Or that look that you give when you show up late  
Baby I love you, I love you anyway  
  
_

            All those dates that he'd forgotten when he was busy at the Ministry, I swear I wanted to kill him. On Valentine's Day, he had to work overtime because some idiot decided to go muggle-baiting and charmed a trashcan to curse at everyone who walks by. I stood outside the muggle restaurant where we had our first date and smiled awkwardly at the passerbys when they gave me odd looks. 

            Finally, the red head came with a bouquet of fiery red roses to match his hair. I was just about to yell at him when I saw the apologetic look on his face. Of course, we got kicked out from the reception desk because we were two hours late for our reservation. We just ended up kicking back at Three Broomsticks. 

_  
 Cause here's my promise made tonight  
You can count on me for life  
Cause that's when I love you  
When nothing you do can change my mind  
The more I learn the more I love  
The more my heart can't get enough  
That's when I love you   
When I love you   
No matter what  
  
_

            Through everything, I somehow ended up here beside him as Mrs. Percy Weasley. Everything just zoomed right by like a dream. He stirs a little beside me and his warm brown eyes open for a split second before they close again. I snuggled closer to him (my favorite past time) as he wrapped his arm around my waist. "What are you doing up at this hour, 'Mione?" he murmured with his eyes shut. 

            I looked over his shoulders at where his trademark glasses laid and felt the soft texture of his cotton, sky blue and white striped pajama collar. I smile again at the warm feeling that is now spreading slowly but surely through every nerve in my body. So what if this guy isn't perfect? I'm sick of perfection anyway. Simplicity is all I want right now and nothing can replace the sense of serenity I feel around him. Carefully, as if he might slip away if I was too forward, I slip my arms around his neck and whispered in his ear, "I love you." 

            His eyes shot open. Ironically, no matter how many times I say it, he always has the same expression. It would have been a very romantic moment, really... if he didn't choose to accidentally fall off the bed at the time. The loud 'thump' was apparently heard throughout the house. From the next room, we heard a noise, indicating the twins banging their fists on the paper thin walls next door, telling us to be quiet. Then the door opened and in came Bill and Charlie Weasley. "What, Perce? Did Hermione kick you off the bed again?" Bill said with a smug smile.

            Percy was still trying desperately to get back onto the bed in his drowsy state when they decided to leave him alone. Right before the door closed, however, I could still hear Charlie's soft tease followed by his laugh, "I still can't believe that Prefect Percy is the first Weasley to get married." Well tough, Charlie. I look back at my husband still struggling to get back on the bed.

            "Good night, Percy," I said before hiding behind the covers with a shake of my head. Some things never change.

            As I begin to wander back to dreamland, I heard him muttering under his breath. Something that sounded like, "After waking ME up, YOU go back to sleep... Granger women are scary..."

            While in my incoherent state, I could only say, "I love you too, Percy Weasley."


End file.
